Attracting Veteran Advisors
We sat down with Chief Information Officer Andy Zolper to hear his perspective about why culture, technology and freedom empower veterans to thrive at Raymond James.
Q: How did you come to join Raymond James?
While the majority of my work life has been within financial services, my career began in the military. I studied at Virginia Military Institute and from there commissioned into the United States Marine Corps. When deciding which specialty to pursue, I initially expressed “infantry” and “artillery” were my top preferences. It’s fair to say I was a little surprised when I was assigned “communications.”
Compared to the engineering majors sitting next to me, there was a pretty steep learning curve. But I quickly came to appreciate that tech is about problem solving. Put it this way: You put in the effort and then the tech either works or it doesn’t. I enjoy that element.
After five years in the Marine Corps, I decided to bring my information security knowledge into the financial services world. I later joined Raymond James in 2012 as chief information security officer – a position I’d hold for a decade before moving into my current role as chief information officer.
When interviewing with the firm, the more I learned the more impressed I was. The firm’s profitability through the 2008 financial crisis and the low-ego culture stood out. I also quickly sensed Raymond James was a place where I could help build a powerful information security program and be a trusted advisor for other leaders and decision-makers. It’s lived up to my initial impression.
Q: Why do veterans thrive here?
How I see it, the modern military is about more than just following orders. The world moves so quickly that decisions often have to be made as close to the problem as possible. I think for those in the armed forces that type of experience instills a solutions-oriented mindset and a strong entrepreneurial spirit.
Raymond James upholds the philosophy that financial advisors own their book of business along with the independence to make decisions. I believe it’s that freedom that makes Raymond James magnetic for veterans, especially those with an affinity for leadership and problem-solving.
I also believe veterans tend to thrive at the firm because our core values give us such a strong sense of purpose. Here, advisors can act with clarity, understand their impact and know that when we say client first, we genuinely mean it.
Q: What technology initiatives are beneficial for veteran advisors?
I find that our veteran advisors are among the biggest consumers of our technology and tools. They’re also typically among the most fearless when trying new tools within their practices and when giving honest feedback about performance or service experience. I believe honest insight that highlights issues and areas of improvement is invaluable in moving us forward.
Our increasingly hybrid-friendly world has meant advisors are having both virtual and face-to-face client interactions – leading mobility to emerge as a bigger priority. Our Advisor Mobile app houses many of the capabilities to enhance client service and is something we’re always working on.
We’re enriching various capabilities on Advisor Mobile; for example, adding trade order entries to make the client-advisor relationship even stronger. Our team are also working to integrate AI applications in Client Center and Zoom. “Client 360” in Client Center can provide an informative snapshot using CRM notes and Zoom AI Companion can summarize 30 minutes worth of client notes in around three minutes. The goal is to give our advisors back time to focus on client service.
Our cyber threat and command centers – both teams with strong veteran representation in their own right – take pride in their work. They’re no strangers to HOVs or BIO visits, and always willing to share with our advisors and their clients.
Q: How does our culture empower our people?
We talk about culture a lot at Raymond James. Fairly regularly, I speak to individuals transitioning out of the military and exploring their next steps. I often find that veterans possess a strong sense of their leadership and operational skillsets, but, sometimes overlook the importance of the culture and day-to-day practices of an organization – in military-speak “the human terrain.”
I can speak from firsthand experience that I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to lead a veteran-focused network like Valor or help build an IT leadership program that leverages the collective intellectual horsepower of our people without a supportive and productive culture. One thing about Raymond James that’s resonated with me from the beginning is that we empower doers.
This piece was featured in Veteran Voice, a publication from the Veteran Financial Advisors Network. View the latest.
Follow along on social media with #RJVFAN